Wanting to change motherboard but keep my CPU

[BrosephStalin1]

I'm wanting to buy a new motherboard, GPU, PSU, RAM, and whatever else I need, but I want to keep just my CPU. I have an i7 and it is compatible. Are there any problems with this? Will an OEM Windows 7/8 work? i have an i7 3770

 

[Novuake]

Which exact I7 do you have?

 

[boosted1g]

By definition an OEM version of windows is tied to the motherboard.

Microsoft does not have to allow you to be able to reactivate windows, quite often though if you tell them your motherboard died then they will reactivate it for you.

As far as compatibility, that depends on the motherboard more then anything else. You will need to first of all get a motherboard with the right socket (1st gen i7 is a 1386 socket, 2nd/3rd gen a 1155, and 4th/5th gen is 1150). Then you will also need to make sure that the i7 you have is on the motherboards cpu compatibility list.

 

[Eximo]

By definition an OEM version of windows is tied to the motherboard.

Microsoft does not have to allow you to be able to reactivate windows, quite often though if you tell them your motherboard died then they will reactivate it for you.

As far as compatibility, that depends on the motherboard more then anything else. You will need to first of all get a motherboard with the right socket (1st gen i7 is a 1386 socket, 2nd/3rd gen a 1155, and 4th/5th gen is 1150). Then you will also need to make sure that the i7 you have is on the motherboards cpu compatibility list.

i7-8xx series is LGA1156
i7-9xx series is LGA1366
i7-26xx/27xx series is LGA1155
i7-37xx series is LGA1155
i7-39xx series is LGA2011
i7-47xx series is LGA1150
i7-49xx series is LGA2011
i7-59xx series is LGA2011-3

 

[BrosephStalin1]

Which exact I7 do you have?

I have an i7 3770, I know its compatible with the motherboard I plan on getting, I'm just worried that carrying the cpu over will mess something up, and I want to know if I can just buy a new OEM

 

[Eximo]

You can always buy and install Windows from scratch, if that is what you are asking.

Chances are pretty good you can get your old copy reactivated. Only concern would be the drivers and getting Windows to boot properly.

If you list the motherboard you have, and what you plan to get, along with some basic system configuration details might be able to get a clearer answer.

I have transferred a lot of OS to new hardware platforms. Only time I had real difficulties that ended up in a re-install was with a computer that had DOS, XP, and Windows 7 spread across two drives and 3 partitions. Couldn't remove the old boot drive.